Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 December 1893 — TOPICS Of THESE TIMES. [ARTICLE]

TOPICS Of THESE TIMES.

“Delays are dangerous” unless delay causes you to miss a train foreordained to be wrecked. “Forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments; for length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.” “Punctuality is the soul of business,” but men having engagements to be hung may be excused if they feel indisposed to promptness in meeting the sheriff. ——■——>——■—■— The price of tea is not likely to advance above the figures obtained at a London auction in 1891. At the Mincing Lane sales on Feb. 5 of that year h five pound parcel of Ceylon ! “Golden Tip” brought £25 10 s per pound, a sum equal to $23 in American standard or depreciated currency.

The Egyptian dancing girls from the Midway Plaisance exported their dance to New York, but Dr. Parkhurst’s highly moral police advised them to “skip.” They wanted to do just that, but the authorities in Gotham told them that “skip” in New York meant to “clear out.” The demoralizing spectacle therefore postponed indefinitely. The amended marriage laws of Pennsylvania, through a clerical error. permit marriage to be solemnized without a license until Oct. 1, 1895. Hoosier lovers desiring to save the price of a license, or eloping from parental wrath, will however continue to patronize the ministerial or judicial functionaries in the Southern Peninsula of Michigan, the new liymenial Eldorado being rather too remote for the prompt consummation of their heart’s desire. “TnE City of Palms” at San Francisco is already bedecked in holiday attire, and the exhibits for the midwinter fair are to a great extent in position. California is felicitating and rejoicing over the prospective triumph which Seems assured, and gives notice that, while the show will not approach in magnitude the Columbian Exposition, it will in some respects surpass it* in interest. The exhibits from South America, Australia aud the far-off islands of the Pacific will be especially notable. The suffering, starvation and destitution that is said- to prevail in the great western metropolis does not appear to have greatly depressed the price of real estate. The property at the northeast corner of State and Washington street, Chicago, was recently sold on a ninety-nine year lease at a rental that establishes its valueat $1,400,000, or $169 a square foot. A number of corner lots in the business district have lately changed hands at valuations of from SIOO to $144 a square foot. People who direct letters to “New York” without deeming it necessary to add the “N. Y.” suppose there is no possibility of their missives going wrong. They rarely do—all the same the.e are postoffices bearing that name in Kentucky, Michigan, Montana. Tennessee and Texas. There are also similar mu-, nicipal designations ir. other States, notably: New York Flat and New York Landing, California: New York Landing, Kentucky; New York Junction, Maryland; New York Mills, Minnesota, and New York Quarry, Pennsylvania. Readers of this paper are not like- i ly to wake up and find that some- j body has built a four-story house on their vacant lot. Mrs. Williams, of New York city, did, however. A few days ago she received a tax bill and was surprised to find that her wealth had increased since the last assessment from S9OO to $6,500. Investi- ■ gation revealed the fact that a Mrs. Shanks, through an error, had built afour-stoiy light brick apartment, house on Mrs. Williams’ vacant lot. j The ladies are in trouble. Mrs. j Williams owns the lot but does not desire to pay for the house, neither does she feel like taking advantage of her undoubted legal right to dis- j possess the builder and collect the rents. They have not decided on any plan of action but will settle the matter with a view, to substantial ■, justice to both parties, Two simpletons with a single thought at Daieville quick a justice and quite os quick, to their great joy, were bound in one —in Illi“noy". They thought it sport and only fun to make believe that they wero one, but when they found that they were fast their skies of bine were overcast with somber

shades that boded ill—alak, it was a “bitter pill." Then to the courts they soon appealed to have the knot that would not yield untied according to the law —it was so tight it would not draw. Soon by the aid of cash and fee they were divorced—-again - were free —and vow that they will never joke or buy again a “pig in poke.” A Seattle, Wash., man heard a racket in his kitchen one night recently, and ou coining down stairs found a bear cub with its head in a pan of blueberry preserves that had been placed on the floor to cool. 'The animal was killed but the preserves were ruined. The house was near the center of the city, and the manner in which the bear reached the place from the forest is a mystery. The State of Washington may well be , said to be “out west, A polar bear, in a ferocious antitude, may be seen on North Illinois street, In- ! dianapolis, any day. He is very dead, however, and has all the “preserves” inside of his “lap robe." Pennoyer, “may his tribe decrease,” the peculiar Popular Governor of Oregon, not satisfied with j his fame already acquired by the j public insults, studiouly offered, to ! two Presidents of the United States —Harrison and Cleveland—took ad- ! vantage of his official position to forestall the national Thanksgiving : holiday, and issued a proclamation of his own requesting his constitu ents to observe Thursday, Nov. 23, as a day of feasting. The people called the too previous holiday Pen- j no.yer.Day, but did not observe it ! with any degree of enthusiasm, and ] as a general thing saved their turkey ; until the national festival. A man in Benton, Ore., has written the ; Governor for his official dates for Christmas and New Year’s Day.

The spirit of modern reform does not appear to have penetrated to official circles in the Russian navy. A correspondent of the London Times recently visited several of the great warships belonging to the Czar, and found the most ludicrous customs prevailing among the seamen. The most rigid religious discipline was being enforced. The first thing in the morning and the last thing at night there is a long service of prayers, psainaa and "the national hymn. At dinner and again at supper the seamen pass before an officer with their caps off and receive a glass of “vodka,” which is the Russian whisky. If the men have not given respectful attention to religious services they are deprived of their allowance of “grog.” It is needless to say that Russian sailors are the most pious men that sail the raging main. Of all the iiiexcusable prevaricators that afflict the world the family clock gone wrong ranks first. Day after day and night after night it holds up its hands and perjures its cogging soul without hope of fear, anticipation of reward or fear of punishment —lies for the sake of lying—and deceives its best friends with a malevolence and unblushing effrontery that passes understanding. However often it may be contradicted and started again in the path of rectitude, it speedily sets its face against the truth so often instilled by patient hands and willing hearts, and “like a dog to his vomit” soon “returns to its mutton” with an undaunted pertinacity and unchanging countenance worthy of a Chicago drummef. Exempt from the divine anathema it “gangs its gait”, knowing that retribution can not harm or earthly judgments halt its criminal career, and ever exhibits to a dying world a countenance calm, serene and unmoved.before the maledictions of puissant saint and puerile sinner.

The announcement of the final set | tlement of the somewhat famous Cul bertson-French will contest at New Albany, shown that Mrs. French received her portion of her father’s estate by means of a compromise, which required her to pay the enormous sum of $55,000 to the various legal lights who figured in the case on eithtr side, will be received by the public at large with mingled feelings of gratification and regret. Gratification at her triumph in being permitted to receive her just dues; regret that to avoid extended litigation she ! thought best to give up so large a i portion of her rightful inheritance, j That the other legatees saw final de-! feat goes without saying—else they bad never agreed to any compromise after such a bitter and prolonged contest as had already been waged, j The court costs amounted to the comparatively insignificant sum of S3OO, which Mrs. French also paid according to the terms of the comfiromise. That heirs can be thus egitimately robbed is a sad reflecon our probate laws. Law is 'or the protection of the citizen, and when under the sanction of' law the helpless are thus dep .ved of their dues, and their birthright wantonly given over to alien blood, it behooves all who have acquired property to lojli well to its final disposition, a.p.k.

THE BATTLE OF TIPPECANOE. There has been much comment upon and some adverse criticism concerning the inscription now being placed upon the northern face of the Soldiers’ Monument at Indianapolis, the main point in the controversy being as to the number of men engaged in that celebrated battle, or skirmish as some people will insist upon calling the engagement. The inscription will read: “Battle .of Tippecanoe, Nov. 7, 1811. Indians defeated by about eight hundred Americans, mostly Indiana militia.” Some historical authorities place the number of men at a much larger figure. Mr. W. H. English, of the Board of Monument Commissioners, in a card to the Indianapolis Jour- ! nal, defends the substantial accuracy !of the inscription, and quotes from I the different reports and letters of Gen. Harrison to sustain his position. In a letter to Gov. Scott, of Kentucky, Dec. 13, 1811, Geu. Harrison said: “I was obliged to march from Fort Harrison, Oct. 29, with | less than 800.” Again, in his official j report of the battle, Gen. Harrison | said: “With aspect to the numi ber of Indians engaged I am pos- ■ sessed of no data. It must have ; been not much inferior to our own, | which, deducting the dragoons who did us no service, was little over 700 officers and privates. lam convinced that there were at least 600 Indians.” Mr. English says that from the conflicting Statemeh’ts of different authorities, some of which place the number of Americans engaged at 950, it was thought best to qualify the statement by placing it at “about 800,” which he holds is a fair estimate. Accuracy could not be expected under the circumstances. OUR INLAND SEAS. Statistics concerning the commerce on the great lakes for the season of ’93 show a remarkable increase in the tonnage of vessels engaged in freight traffic on the various routes. Last winter a great many new ships for this trade were constructed and launched, all of them being of improved speed and design and large capacity. This fact, coupled with the general stagnation or trade and the fierce competition of those vessels already enjoying an established patronage, has brought about a scale of charges that has proved disastrous to those whose means have been embarked in the fleets that plow those blue and peace ful waters. Those owners who have made from 3to 5 per cent, on their investments are regarded by their competitors with envy and all who have made actual expenses ares disposed to regard themselves as fortunate beyond the average. Optimistic owners believe,however, that these conditions are but temporary and can not in the nature of things continue. Estimates place the capacity of four vessels of the modern style as equal to that of one railroad between Chicago and Buffalo, the rates by water being of course lower than by rail. The future of this inland marine is believed to be most promising, and when the water route to the Atlantic is opened for vessels of all classes the carrying trade of the great lakes will be largely increased. Such a route no doubt will in due time be opened. The great and mighoy West demands it.

|' THE NEW YEAR. This is a world of change—arid pants’ buttons. Another measured alowance of days and nights and storm and shine and heat and cold has reeled from off the tape line of the Great Architect. Another year of joy and sorrow, hope and fear prosperity and adversity, has lapsed into the changeless oblivion of an unalterable past. Ahother year’s allotment of new made graves have opened and closed upon “that innumerable caravan" of mortals great and small, and another wave of woe unspeakable has wrecked and wrung the grieving hearts of those who mourn. Another year’s consignment of angelic spirits has taken up the burden of humanity, and another tottering structure of hope and joy and cheerful ant;cipation has been built upon the uncertain foundation of human life. All is change. No man is the same that he was a brief twelve months ago, and all thinking men realize and recognize with startling clearness on each recurring New Year’s Day the irresistible flow of the ever rushing stream of Time that in due course must surely float them from out the changing scenes that line its banks into the open sea of the Great Unknown. None can stand still, All must swim with the tide. / nd though we feebly grasp the willows and still delay—still by reason of strength can linger while so many are swept away—yet the inevitable end is ever at hand for all. The post is gone.

The future all unknown. Looking backward is useless, but is the only key to the great riddle of coming events. Guided then in paths aright by past experience, be it sweet or bitter, we can calmly look into a future whose secrets we can not solve—hoping not too much lest disappointment dire shall overtake us, nor fearing too little, lest our misfortunes crush us—knowing that as we gently glide toward the that we shall surely reach at last a port | where “all is well.” Vale and fare-; well, old ’93. Hail and good luck * to ’94. “INDIA’S CORAL STRAND’”-! Col. Samuel Merrill, who served four years as eonsul at Calcutta un- j der Harrison’s administration, re-! turned to his old home at Indianapo- i lis the last week in Novmber. In an I interview Col. Merrill related many j interesting things to a Sentinel re- I porter from which we glean the facts for this article. India is a vast country, embracing an area of 1,61)0,000 square miles, and contains 282,000,099 inhabitants; the country has a coast line of 4,009 miles; has four great rivers, each more than 1,009 miles in length. The Himalayas, the loftiest mountains in the world, are located in northern India. A broad belt of marshy jungle separates this great range from the surrounding plain. ludia has two harvests yearly, in some places three. Labor is worth but 6 cents a day, and the cost of raising wheat is nominal. Rice is grown in some provinces, but is not a staple article of food with the natives, as many suppose. The jungles teem with elephants, lions, aud all manner of wild

beasts. At least a dozen dialects are used by the people, all of which are offshoots from the original Sauskrit. The natives of India are practically slaves. The caste system perpetuates this evil. The Brahmin arrogates to himsell all the aristocracy, purity and suavity of the race. The millions beyond the pale of this sanctified class have inherited a consciousness of their inferiority that nothing will ever dispel. England must and will maintain supremacy in India. Calcutta is a beautiful city of 631,099 inhabitants, but is not a desirable place of residence. Cholera is always present, both among native aud white inhabitants. During the first week of Col. Merrill’s residence there 690 perished from the disease, and the scourge has c aimed its victims continually. The people of India were greatly interested in the silver question in the United States, and hoped Congress would pass a bill for free coinage in this country. If it had done so the value of the Indiana rupee would have been doubled. The repeal of the Sherman law was a great disappointment to the people of India. The Indian rupee is now worth about 29 cents instead of 59 cents as it would otherwise have been. PERILS OF WEA.LTH. The majority of people imagine that if they were only endowed with the fortune of a Gould or a Vanderbilt that they would be practically exempt from the ills that afflict humanity. Recent events, however, tend to establish the common tie of tribulation that binds mankind —be they rich or poor. Only a few weeks since the country was entertained with the stories of the escapades of young Charles Fair, whose millionaire father, after vainly trying to reclaim his fallen son, cast him off as unworthy to longer share or even to inherit his great wealth. The suit of Mrs. Nicolaus against George Gould, at New York, for $40,000 damages occupied the space devoted to sensational literature in the daily press for several days, when it was announced that the case would not be prosecuted. The real merits of this case are among the unsolved mysteries, the one thing certain being that Mr. Gould suffered a great deal of annoyance and unpleasant notoriety in connection with the matter. Russell Sage, who ! some time ago escaped dynamite and | death by making a breastwork of| a clerk, has again enlisted the pub- ; lie ear. He has been a defendant in a breach of promise case brought by a woman who alleges that he contracted to marry her in 1869. The case was thrown out of court because of the expiration of limitation, and then the infuriated woman attempted to reach the great Wall street operator with the avowed intention of avenging her wrongs at ”th@~;dagffer’s point, but the Clerks again came to the rescue and the lady was landed in the street. The path of the poor millionaire seems to be beset with morp or less of life’s troubles and worry, even when they are clearly innocent of intentional wrong doing. Miss De Vere —I can trace my ancestors back to i .e Reformation. Juggins That’s nothing. I can trace back to ancestors before re-, formation. j